The 22-year-old has been dogged by similar problems since joining City from Everton last summer and has been limited to four starts, with seven further appearances as a substitute.

The midfielder told www.mcfc.co.uk: "It's just over two weeks into my injury now and it's healing well. I'm hoping for maybe another two weeks until I'm back on the pitch."

Rodwell hoped a gruelling fitness programme and lifestyle changes had addressed the problem and he impressed in City's 2-0 victory over Chelsea last month but was then forced off only 25 minutes into their clash with Aston Villa two-and-a-half weeks ago.

He added: "I'll hopefully train within the next 10 days, that's my aim. If I do that, then it's been a really good rehab - four weeks is very good.

"If it takes a week more, then it will be a week more, just to be on the safe side, but we'll see - hopefully two more weeks is all I will need."

The recurrence of the injury was certainly a setback but Rodwell, who has been capped twice by England, is determined to think about the long term.

He said: "Initially it was depressing but I've got good people around me, good family, great physios, the sports science department are great and all the lads are brilliant, too.

"It's just a minor setback and it's a long career. I'm still young and I just have to stay positive."